Which project would you do first?

I'm going to make this a poll, but I would love feedback on why you chose your answer.

DH and I just bought our forever home. At the moment we just have one son, so we're using the extra bedroom as a play room. But we plan to start TTC again soon, and when we do, that "playroom" will become a baby's room. When that happens, we have literally no where for DS' toys. We planned on refinishing the basement eventually and then that would become the playroom. Its currently unfinished and filled with our storage stuff. DS has literally SO many toys that it's not possible for us to move them to the living room or anywhere else.

The other big project is the kitchen/dining room. The kitchen as it is, is very tiny. We have practically no counter space and very little cabinet space. We're using a closet near the kitchen as a pantry right now to help relieve some of the cabinet space issues. The dining room is also very tight. We host Christmas every year and right now we're not even sure how to fit everyone. The long-term plan was to take down the wall between the kitchen and dining room and open it all up and expand the countertop/cabinet space. This would solve our problems.

Here's the question. Both of these projects are going to cost a lot of money. DH does all the work on his own, but I would estimate the kitchen will cost us around $25,000 and the basement will be around $10,000. They're both very important to us, but we don't have the money to do them both right now. Which one would you tackle first? It will likely be 2 years in between projects.

Re: Which project would you do first?

If it were me (and because I LOVE to cook) I would choose the kitchen. I feel like everyone gathers there and it's so important, IMO, to have a kitchen that functions well for your family. You can always make due with the toys and figure out a storage solution for them in the meantime. I would much rather a great, new kitchen above all else.

Re: Which project would you do first?

Re: Which project would you do first?

Which project would you do first?

Definitely kitchen! Easier to do it now then when you have an infant or toddler in the house. Can you clear a space in the basement and throw down a cheap area rug for your son to play on in the meantime? I grew up with a big unfinished basement and we played down there all the time and survived!

Which project would you do first?

I would do the basement first. That way, when the kitchen is getting done you have somewhere to hangout and keep food and whatnot

Re: Which project would you do first?

Definitely kitchen first. As other people have said, the kitchen is used every day, by the whole family, plus more. Finishing the basement is more of a nicety. Many kids have grown up just fine playing in an unfinished basement with some area rugs thrown down.

Which project would you do first?

i voted for kitchen because that is what i did first. :) my kitchen was also falling apart... LOL

Now, we are repainting our semi-finished basement

Next is the bathroom $$$

And eventually fence $$$$

UGH homeownership! PS you are lucky you are in your forever home. i'm at the point where i'm forced to do it in a house i dont even want to stay in!

Re: Which project would you do first?

I personally would have to do the kitchen first. In the meantime I would just look for the best storage options for your sons toys. If there is going to be about a two year gap in between projects and you havent started TTC yet, you wouldnt have to deal with the toys too long before you could do the basement.

Which project would you do first?

We just finished a 6.5 week long kitchen reno. Took down walls and made one big open floor plan. Living through it will not be easy with 2 children, it was dusty, loud, all day, every day. I stay home so it was worse for me and DD. I would do the kitchen first since it's a bigger project. You will figure out how to downsize the toys, or organize them better.

Which project would you do first?

I would do the kitchen first. Even if you have another DC, they could share a room for a year or two until you can refinish the basement and that way you could still use the extra bedroom for toys.

Re: Which project would you do first?

Which project would you do first?

I'm torn.

I would say kitchen because it's hard to have limited space and it's such a big inconvenience and price that it may be awhile before you have it done BUT, I also think it's important to use a kitchen to find out ideally what you want before you remodel.

We need both done as well but I think we are going to do the basement first since it's less of a cost/inconvenience.

Re: Which project would you do first?

Thank you for your replies! DH and I decided to hold off on the basement for now and focus on the kitchen first. I love to cook and host holidays and our kitchen/dining room is just not going to work for long as it is. We're going to try to organize DS' toys and put them in the living room for the time being.

Which project would you do first?

I would go with the kitchen. I like the idea of a finished basement for a play room, but honestly, until they are both older an adult will need to be down there when they are playing to make sure they are ok. I mean my almost 2 year old will be up on the table in the time it takes me to put something away in the other room. They are quick and I wouldn't trust her alone with DS for at least another yer or so.

Which project would you do first?

I voted the opposite than most. I would do the basement first. That way you have all the kids areas set up and you won't be pressed for space. Doing the kitchen now or in 2 years is going to be a mess with kids and at least with the basement finished, they will have some place to go besides their room while the kitchen is being renovated.

Re: Which project would you do first?

You just described my house. We did the basement first and I'm very glad we did because now my daughter has somewhere to play while the main level is being renovated - we just started the kitchen and it's a huge project! Also you're so lucky your dh is doing the work.

Re: Which project would you do first?

Re: Which project would you do first?

Re: Which project would you do first?

We did the basement first - years ago when we had our first son. Now we have 2 boys, are 4 & 6 and I still swear that basement reno was one of the best things we did -

I'm in the process of getting an architect now for my kitchen/dining room reno - I'm happy we waited - $10k on the baseemnt which will have to be redone when the kids get a little older ........vs. probably close to $100k on the kitchen - but I'll have the kitchen and space I REALLY REALLY want, and not have to settle for just renovating the existing space and taking down the wall -

I depends on what you want long term, for me, I preferred to wait so I didn't have to settle and could get exactly what I wanted. And after living in the house for 9 years, I KNOW what I really want. KWIM?

Re: Which project would you do first?

In the minority - we did our basement first and I am so glad we did.

We spent so much time down there once he was 6+ months and started crawling and becoming active. It gave him the space he needed without destroying the main level of the house and getting hurt on the furniture, stairs, etc.

We just did our kitchen 2 years later and while I loathed my kitchen for the 4 years we've been in the house - I am not quite sure what I would have done if I didnt have that space for my son to play for the past 2 years.

Which project would you do first?

Unless you're doing a straight swap on the kitchen( or just minor movements), everything in the same spot, there most likely would need to be some access to the pipes and electric that are running in the ceiling of the basement.
So there will be a need for access to this stuff when the kitchen is done. You can do a drop ceiling or just cut into it, but something else to consider.

We've considered finishing our basement, but I don't know if our 4 yr old son would use it as a playroom without us down there.

Not that that completely defeats the purpose, but definitely puts a damper on it for me. We've considered adding a main level den for a playroom instead. don't know how much that would cost.

Re: Which project would you do first?

I would do the kitchen/dining room first.

I KNOW the value of a finished basement playroom. My DS (who's 6) has his basement playroom and it works out great. But we have a split level so the basement is only about 5 steps down from our den. So we felt comfortable with him playing in the basement alone when he was pretty young as we could see/hear him if we were in the den. In a colonial or a cape or ranch, where you have a full flight of steps and the basement is more removed from the rest of the house, young kids may not get as much use out of it as you think.

I would do the kitchen because the kitchen is kind of the center of the home, especially if you like to cook and entertain and host holidays. It's more visible than the basement. It's a bigger chunk of money, so if you have it, I would do it. Otherwise, I think it's the type of thing where you will always have other expenses crop up and the kitchen may slide further down the list of priorities. And it's easier to deal with a kitchen under renovation and pretty unusable if you have one child or very small kids versus more kids to feed and live through a main floor renovation with. I know you are in your forever home, but the kitchen renovation will add more value.

As far as the basement, I feel like you can always make it somewhat useable without spending a lot of money on it yet. You can definitely put the toys down there even if the walls aren't sheet rocked and it's not heated. There are always unique storage solutions to hide toys that need to be kept in the main living area, or you can have toys in your DS's bedroom. Also, by the time you get pregnant, have a baby, and he is ready to go into his own room, you may be able to start tackling the basement.

Which project would you do first?

i would definitely do the kitchen first!!! its where everybody spends the most time, definitely.
i know the toy situation- i'm in the same boat!!! Could you rotate DS's toys?? like figure out what you have room for in your living room or his room or whatever.... and then store the rest in the basement. THEN every few weeks, rotate the toys-- it'll be like he gets new toys! LOL i do this with my son. We have a ranch with a finished basement, that has a room that can be used as a playroom--- but we really don't spend much time down there- DS is 5, and doesn't like being a whole flight of steps down from us. all of his toys end up in our living room anyway. so i just keep what i have room for in the living room, and rotate them from the basement.

Re: Which project would you do first?

kitchen!
live in your house a while before investing in the basement, just in case you see any suprises.....